Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;FICHRYAFTORA&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fichryaftora’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly and broadly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant form; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-size decorative-type inflorescences with bronze orange-colored ray florets; late season flowering habit, grown under natural season conditions, plants begin flowering in early to mid-October in the United Kingdom; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FICHRYAFTORA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant,botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as agarden Chrysanthemum plant and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Fichryaftora’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new late season floweringgarden Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made inJanuary, 2010 by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom of aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as codenumber 82796, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as codenumber 92113, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newChrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fareham,Hampshire, United Kingdom in September, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminalvegetative cuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, UnitedKingdom in December, 2010. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetativecuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemumplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under allpossible combinations of environmental conditions and culturalpractices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fichryaftora’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Fichryaftora’ as a new and distinctChrysanthemum plant:

1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly and broadly moundedplant habit.

2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

3. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant form.

4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.

5. Medium-size decorative-type inflorescences with bronze orange-coloredray florets.

6. Late season flowering habit, grown under natural season conditions,plants begin flowering in early to mid-October in the United Kingdom.

7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower later than plants of thefemale parent selection.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the female parent selectiondiffer in ray floret color as plants of the female parent selection haveinflorescences with yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower later than plants of the maleparent selection.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection differin ray floret color as plants of the male parent selection haveinflorescences with golden yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants ofChrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichrydayor’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patentapplication filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons, plants ofthe new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Fichrydayor’ intime to flower as plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower much later thanplants of ‘Fichrydayor’. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemumhave slightly smaller inflorescences than plants of ‘Fichrydayor’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Chrysanthemum plant. The photograph is a top perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘Fichryaftora’ grown in a 14-cm container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in 14-cmcontainers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham, Hampshire, UnitedKingdom and under cultural practices typical of commercial gardenChrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day andnight temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levelsaveraged 6,000 lux. Plants were grown under long day/short nightconditions for about six weeks (including propagation period) and thengrown under short day/long night conditions to induce inflorescenceinitiation and development. Plants were twelve weeks old when thephotograph and detailed description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichryaftora’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 82796,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 92113,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at            temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            light brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent            on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type garden            Chrysanthemum; stems upright to outwardly spreading giving a            uniformly broadly mounded appearance to the plant; numerous            lateral branches and relatively short internodes, dense and            full plant form; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 36 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about 17 lateral            branches develop after removal of terminal apex (pinching).        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 19 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:            About 5° from vertical and then bending upwardly. Texture:            Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 146C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 3.9 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate with three to five            lobes.        -   Apex.—Broadly acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Slightly dentate and palmately lobed; sinuses            between lateral lobes mostly divergent.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence; slightly            rough; veins prominent on lower surface.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N138B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,            close to 148B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 138B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence; slightly rough.            Color, upper surface: Close to 148B. Color, lower surface:            Close to 138B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Decorative-type inflorescence form            with ligulate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on            terminals above and beyond the foliar plane; disc and ray            florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; freely            flowering habit with about 289 inflorescences developing per            plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.        -   Flowering response.—Late season flowering habit, plants            exposed to natural season conditions begin flowering in            early to mid-October in the United Kingdom; plants flower            uniformly and continuously during the flowering season.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about three to five weeks on the plant;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About            6 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 143A.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Disc diameter.—Not conspicuous.        -   Receptacles.—Height: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Conical. Color: Close to 145A.        -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About            119 arranged in about nine whorls. Orientation: Initially            upright, then about 80° from vertical. Length: About 1.3 cm.            Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Emarginate. Base:            Fused into a short tube. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; double-keeled. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to N25A. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 14C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            N163A; with development, color becoming closer to 167A.            Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 162A; with            development, color becoming closer to 164C.        -   Disc florets.—Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About 19 massed at the center of the receptacle;            inconspicuous. Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Shape: Tubular, elongated; apices, acute. Texture, inner and            outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, when opening: Apex:            Close to 9A. Mid-section: Close to 9B. Base: Close to 9C.            Color, fully opened: Apex: Close to 14B. Mid-section: Close            to 5B. Base: Close to 139D.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 18            arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 6 mm. Width:            About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            waxy. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence; waxy. Color,            upper surface: Close to 143B. Color, lower surface: Close to            143A.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 3.2 cm.            Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 1 mm. Angle: Erect to            about 10° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong;            flexible. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 147B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:            Present only on ray florets. Pistil length: About 3 mm.            Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 9B. Style            length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 1B. Ovary color:            Close to 155A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been            observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum to date.-   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common    to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new    Chrysanthemum to date.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have    demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures    from about 0° C. to about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named‘Fichryaftora’ as illustrated and described.